Psalm 16 - Protection, Peace & Purpose!!!
At the moment is seems as if the world is tearing itself apart at the seams. Violence is growing in frequency and in its severity, earthquakes abound and grow ever more stronger, and the cracks in the Earth are literally widening before our eyes as volcanic activity bubbles and percolates its way to a fiery crescendo. Let’s not forget that the cost of living is skyrocketing, and our education and political systems are decaying and frayed to breaking point.
In the face of all this, it is easy to become discouraged and disheartened…to question the point of it all, and to question our lives - and their meaning and purpose. that is a perfectly normal human thing to do.
What is more difficult is to give it all to God and be joyful about it…
King David knew what it was like to live amidst constant turmoil and struggle. Both from outside forces, from within his own family, and also his inner struggle with depression and anxiety. In Psalm 16, he explores the relationship between having a deep abiding faith in God, and the ability to feel peace and to find purpose in our lives.
Psalm 16 says…
Verse 1: “Protect me, God, for you are my refuge.”
Oh how this is a cry of many of us in these days!
Many of us are suffering in some way - be it financial difficulties, employment issues, family relationship breakdowns, mental health problems, chronic diseases and pain…many are struggling mightily.
This statement by King David is the first thing they say to God when they wake up… “God help me, protect me…I know you can, I’ve come to you for help!!” is what they ask.
Not only is this a perfectly normal, human plea to give to God…but it is also a firm statement about the nature and character of God ‘as our refuge’.
Verse 2-3: “I said to Adonai, “You are my Lord; I have nothing good outside of you.” The holy people in the land are the ones who are worthy of honor; all my pleasure is in them.”
These next two verses by King David are incredibly important.
They come from a place of true humility, and reverence for God.
Firstly, David lays his life and all his successes, all his failures down and submitted it to God and spoke the truth - saying “I have nothing good outside of you”.
This is an incredibly profound statement, and is even all the more striking when looking at it through a modern lens when everything we do is about us, and about our position in society, and how we are viewed by others - it is all based on what we have done and accomplished.
But the power of it, the ultimate truth of it is this… anything and everything we have accomplished, gained in life, obtained in life…is nothing, is absolute dust compared to the fullness of God and who HE is, and what HE is.
David using his humility as a foundation, he turns the attention to those who he sees as ‘holy’ - here he is obviously talking about those who love and worship God in all that they do, say and think - he is talking about the righteous people who live within his kingdom. He acknowledges that those people, are the people worthy of supporting and lifting up.
In these statements King David is showing us that he is a fallible person, someone who loves God dearly, but also has sins that he is ashamed of.
Verse 4: “Those who run after another god multiply their sorrows; To such gods I will not offer drink offerings of blood or take their names on my lips.”
After establishing those who should be lifted up and praised for their worthy deeds, King David shows us the polar opposite.
He discusses those who worship false gods, those who chase the vain things of this world.
David is clearly providing us with a warning… “if you follow the path of worshipping and placing your faith in a false god, you are going to have a very bad time of things in this life and the next. Sorrow is going to be a part of your life.
David makes it clear that he will have no part of worshipping the false gods - and by connection is stating that Yahweh is the only God and it is HE who David worships and has placed his faith in.
We should be exactly like David. We should even entertain the thought of other things replacing our time and effort in living out a faith in God (Yahweh).
But in the modern world we have a very distinct problem. There are so many false gods to worship, so many things to take our time and attention away from the real God.
Things like the pursuit of wealth, the pursuit of academic degrees, the pursuit of having the perfect family, the pursuit of children, the pursuit of having the best holiday, or even the pursuit of isolation and being ‘off-grid’ and relying on oneself - all of these things in moderation and in context are not evil, however, if a person is spending all their effort, all their time and all their thoughts on these things - then they worship those things.
Matthew 6:21 tells us that “Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.” - If we treasure the things of this world, we cannot possibly treasure the creator of all things that are in this world.
This is a significant warning to modern Christians (especially western Christians).
Verse 5-6: “Adonai, my assigned portion, my cup: you safeguard my share. Pleasant places were measured out for me; I am content with my heritage.
These next two verses are simply beautiful truth by David. Not only does he state truths, but he expresses his interaction with those truths.
God does assign our portions, what we receive in this life is not truly defined by what we do, or what we strive for. God gives and God takes (Job 1:21). Our responsibility is not only to believe and understand that concept but to live a life that reflects that.
How do we do that? We reflect what David says “I am content with my heritage”
In Phillipians 4:11-12 Paul echoes the words fo King David when he says “Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.” - this is how we should be living our lives as Christians - content with what we have. So that when God gives and when God takes - we are thankful for what we have.
Why should we be content? Well…because God will safeguard your share and make sure that what is measured out to you is pleasant.
Verse 7-8: “I bless Adonai, my counsellor; at night my inmost being instructs me. I always set Adonai before me; with him at my right hand, I can never be moved…”
These statements made by David are statements of faith and fact.
The statements of faith relate to how David sees his relationship with God. To David, God is his counsellor (or person who provides wisdom and guidance), here we see one of the Old Testament references to the Holy Spirit. David even notes that his spirit will talk to the Holy Spirit while he sleeps.
David knows that God is the ultimate source of wisdom.
And if he placed God before everything in his life, then he won’t be able to be budged from his righteous position by those who are evil.
Verse 9-10: “…so my heart is glad, my glory rejoices, and my body too rests in safety; for you will not abandon me to She’ol, you will not let your faithful one see the Abyss.
The facts and position of the previous few verses causes a physical and emotional reaction in David. He is happy, he is glad, and that he actually has physical and emotional rest because he knows God is with him - that God will protect and provide for him.
The second part of these verses are a combination of David making an observation of God’s character, but also a messianic prophecy.
God will rescue those who live righteously, and who place God before them. he is talking about how God will separate the righteous and send them to paradise/heaven rather than the dark depths of hell.
The end of these verses is echoed by Paul when talking about Jesus (Acts 13:34-37). Jesus did not see decay, nor was he abandoned in She’ol.
Verse 11: “You make me know the path of life; in your presence is unbounded joy, in your right hand eternal delight.
All of us….and I do mean all of us - as humans - are seeking the ‘meaning to life’ - why do we do that though? The reason is plainly simple - this life is literally pointless and horrific if there is no meaning to it.
God and his perfect will provides us a purpose in life - he will equip us and be with us, so that we can do things for HIS kingdom.
It is only in the presence of God that we find purpose, and when we find purpose, we find joy in our lives - true contentment with our lot in life.
I pray that as you head into a new day, or a new week (or at the time of writing) - a new year - that God is at the centre of your life. That you set aside any idols that are in your life, so that your life will not be one full of sin-filled suffering. I pray that as you read the words of King David that you are encouraged and strengthened by his faith in God.